Balor the Adventurer
by Jet556
Summary: Eleven years after Mumm-Ra's final defeat, Balor joins a crew of adventurers setting out to retrieve the Ruby Knucker. Where it is, is a mystery that will bring the adventurers to various islands on Third Earth. During this search, Balor reflects on his friendship with the ThunderCats, his love for Brigid and the teachings of his mentors wondering and what they make him.
1. Coal Black Colossus

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**Coal Black Colossus **

Standing at a height of ninety-eight feet, the Colossus of Slaine towered over the bay from which it was named. Black as coal with eyes made from rubies, it faced north with a battle-axe in its right hands.

On the ship known as the Fairhair, the crew watched as they entered the bay. Two of the crewmembers, Balor the Evabon and Lib the Nomis, couldn't help but think there was something sinister about the statue.

The captain, a white wolf named Harald, turned to look at his crew.

"We begin here, my friends!" he said. "We, the best combatants in the entire continent of Dela have set out in search of the Ruby Knucker. We know this statue is somewhere in the Rudraige archipelago!" It was pirates from the archipelago that had stolen the Ruby Knucker. The question was which of the islands the Ruby Knucker was on. "We will sail into Slaine bay and search the entire island!"

The rowers resumed rowing.

Looking at one another, Balor and Lib thought about whether or not looking on Gennan Island was a good idea. The Colossus was said to come to life to kill whoever dared to steal from the inhabitants of Slaine bay.

If the stories were true then it would be suicide to set foot on that island!

"I'd rather be at Sengann again!" said Balor. There was something evil looking about the Colossus. It was as oppressive as thunder as the old saying went! "Although Kernunnos died there and the burning ruins became his funeral pyre it would be a thousand times more welcome a place than this evil looking place ever would!"

Lib scoffed. "Sengann? In that Evabon fortress defiled by Labinnacs! That place was cursed the moment those anthropophagites set their feet upon it!"

Balor gave a nod. "But still… Better somewhere cursed than somewhere that has such as that towering over it!"

Sengann… What place was that, the cursed fortress burned to the ground that seemed safer a place than this bay? Any place no matter how cursed or evil would seem better than the bay that had the Colossus of Slaine towering over it.

"Do you think the Ruby Knucker is here?" asked Lib.

"I could ask you the same thing and get as good an answer." Replied Balor.

Was the Ruby Knucker here on Gennan? They'd have to find out.


	2. Cast Iron Contours in the Moonlight

**Welcome back everyone. Panthro teaching Balor how to fight with a quarterstaff instead of Cheetara is a reference to how Little John from the Robin Hood myths was one of the best fighters with a quarterstaff. Logical since both are the biggest members of their groups. Enjoy and review.**

**Cast Iron Contours in the Moonlight**

All day the crew of the Fairhair had searched the island. They had not found anything. None of the islanders had seen anything like the Ruby Knucker when they were questioned by crewmembers.

Sitting with Lib, Balor looked out across the island plains. There were strange shapes in the moonlight. Made by cast iron statues that stood on the plains. Why were they there? Wasn't that a good question!

"You know the ThunderCats would have to be some of the best friends anyone could have asked for!" said Balor.

Lib turned his head to look at his companion. Why this subject all of a sudden? "Agreed."

"Lion-O taught me how to navigate by looking at the stars… Tygra taught me how to ride mounts… Panthro taught me how to fight with a quarterstaff… Cheetara taught me how to read and write Thunderan… Kat taught me how to wrestle, he learned be watching in the slums of Thundera… Kit taught me archery but that wasn't until some time after Mumm-Ra's final defeat."

"So what did you teach them?" asked Lib. "Friends do teach friends after all."

"What the rest of my people taught them about… Our culture."

Scratching his jaw, Lib stood up and stretched. "That's can't possibly be all!"

"No, it's not." Said Balor. He looked at the lightning bolt-shaped scar on his arm. "Thanks to them I saw more of the world than I ever would have. I guess it is because of them that I'm here."

Swinging his hammer around Lib took a good look at Balor. He was wearing only a loincloth… Actually every member of the crew was wearing little clothing except for Lib who was wearing his armor, helmet all! The reason all the crew save Lib were wearing little clothing was because it would get hot if they were wearing much clothing when sailing in the summer months. For Balor there was an additional reason. Evabon wore little clothing, however there were odd exceptions such as Dalv and to a lesser extent Gard, and would only wear more clothing than they usually would during the winter months or when in areas that were cold all year round.

"You are quite the adventurer Balor…" commented Lib.

The Young Shaman shrugged. "Being with adventurous friends can do that to you."


	3. An Enchantress Shall Be Born

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**An Enchantress Shall Be Born**

Strathearn… An island where a person of great magic lived but cursed to be haunted by monsters! Having found nothing on the previous island, the crew of the Fairhair had come to the next one.

Balor with Lib had gone with Harald and a few others to seek this magic user.

"Balor!" Balor ran up to catch up with Harald.

"Harald?"

"You are a shaman are you not?"

Balor nodded. "Aye, I am!" Harald looked at Balor, obviously wanting to here more. "My grandfather Wodanaz was one of my first mentors in a way!" He swallowed. "And my fiancée Brigid has quite a bit of the spark as well, learning from her grandfather Indra."

"So you are to be married?" asked Harald. Balor nodded. "Why do you love her?"

Scratching his chin, Balor looked down at the ground. "I'm not exactly sure… Well, we grew up together for one thing and… I'm not really sure why I love her… She's kind… I don't know why I love her, I just do."

Harald laughed. "That is quite the explanation for why you love a girl!"

Lib rolled his eyes. "Do you have anyone in your life?"

"No, not really."

Lib stopped before finally continuing. Harald didn't have anyone in his life so who was he to laugh at Balor's explanation for why he loved Brigid? Lib himself had a family, having returned to his people after Mumm-Ra's final defeat, rejoining his people, got married, had children, Harald had no right to laugh at someone when he was so single minded he didn't even think about having friends or even a family.

Balor himself ended up thinking back to Brigid. The civil war in the Wilusan Evabon clans was still going on. Ekoto and Alaksandu were still fighting each other… And Brigid was waiting in Thundera for Balor with open arms.

When would the civil war end? When would Balor and Brigid be able to marry? The two were usually doing something to help the war effort by helping Ekoto but always ended up in different places. The fighting had become so bad that Brigid had been sent to Thundera by Zuowang for her own safety.

So Balor wondered, when would he and Brigid be together again?


	4. Outlines on Strathearn

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**Outlines on Strathearn**

Konstantine… Once the greatest wizard on all of Third Earth but also once the greatest sinner on Third Earth. For his sins, the divinities of his people had struck him blind and sent Amphitheres to steal his food.

"I was a sinner but I didn't sin everyday!" he'd say and it was true. The sins he sinned were small ones, meaningless ones and yet he had been the greatest sinner on Third Earth. He was a Nomis, yellow in color.

When the crew of the Fairhair came upon Konstantine he had been under attack by two Amphitheres: green, winged feathered serpents! The amphitheres were killed and after the deaths of those, two Konstantine was never again harassed, be it by person, monster, divinity or beast!

Harald was the one who spoke with Konstantine, alone. Leaving those who had come with him waiting outside the cave in which Konstantine made his hermitage.

"He's leaving us out." Lib held up his hammer and brought it down on a rock.

"You know, Lib, for someone who taught me to stay calm at all times you sure aren't staying calm." Commented Balor.

"I just want to know what's going on." Swinging his hammer around, Lib took a seat on a nearby rock. "Where are we going? How far are we going? This is something we should all know."

"I understand but considering you taught me to stay calm at all times, it is awfully strange to see you as anything but calm." Lib wasn't the only one of Balor's mentors. There had also been the ThunderCats but there were mentors besides them. Gard, Zuvowang, Dalv… Balor had learned things from many people. Even from people who had tried to kill him, Balor had learned something such as always to be aware of his surroundings. What he learned from others were things that some wouldn't find importance in. Suddenly, something came to Balor's attention. Standing up, he looked out across the landscape and saw outlines without bodies. "What are those?"

Lib looked at Balor, along with the others. "What?"

"Those! Over there!" Balor pointed at the outlines. Sure enough, they saw the outlines. "What are they?"

Sarpedon, a Thunderan, gave a response while stuttering. "Things that appear all over Third Earth I've heard. Do not follow them, anyone! Where they will lead you, you will never return from!"


	5. The Bogie in Wrought Iron

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**The Bogie in Wrought Iron**

Chained to the deck of the Fairhair was the Ruby Knucker. Having found it on the island of Torquilstone where Konstantine said it would be, the crew of the Fairhair was at long last on their way home.

Balor and Lib both looked at the Ruby Knucker with cautious eyes. There was something unsafe about it.

"It shouldn't have been taken from Torquilstone…" commented Balor. There had been no people there, Torquilstone had been abandoned a century after the Ruby Knucker had been placed at the top of the mountain from which the island got its name. "As Holy as this thing might seem it is also very Unholy."

"We should send it overboard, down to the bottom of the sea!" Lib pointed above. Storm clouds were starting to form. "This thing will be the death of us if we keep it with us!"

"Who said that?" Harald came running over to the two.

"Nobody, sir." Replied Balor. Lib only glared in response.

"You were put there to watch the chains!" Harald pointed at the wrought iron chains holding the Ruby Knucker to the deck of the Fairhair. "Now watch them!"

A storm did come. Wrathful, terrible, evil! Several members of the crew were sent overboard and lost at sea! With Harald, mad at the helm, Balor and Lib argued.

"We need to send the Ruby Knucker into the sea to stop this storm!" was all Balor needed to say. They had not even been away from Torquilstone an hour when the storm clouds had began to form!

"The Fairhair has survived many a storm!" was Harald's response. To him this storm was as natural as all the rest!

"If we keep on sailing the Fairhair will become a thing on the past!" stated Lib.

And then it came down! A bolt of lightning so powerful that Balor, as great as a shaman as he had become, could not stop it.

It destroyed the Fairhair.

For a time, Balor had been unconscious. When he regained consciousness he found himself on the Thunderan ship the Bloodaxe, Lib too.

The Ruby Knucker was lost. Perhaps that was for the best.

**The End**


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